On gun control and gay marriage, Gansler has a selective appreciation of precedent

The top lawyer elected by the citizens of Maryland to enforce the laws by the constitution has an extremely elastic view on precedents.

Attorney GeneralDouglas F. Gansleropposes the recent judicial ruling striking down the proof of need requirement for acquiring a handgun permit because it defies "270-plus years" of decisions to the contrary.

But he does not object to the constitutionality of the recently passed legislation allowing two persons of the same sex to marry. He has no objection to that, even though the practice of heterosexual marriage has been accepted in society and in law for millennia.